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“Where do you go down there?”
Mostly Ocho Rios. There and Negril (both 2 hour drive from Mo’ Bay though. Rough scary ride) are the places you want to go. Mo’ Bay is limited. Haven’t been elsewhere yet.
MM, man oh man those roads! The drive from MoBay to Whitehouse is quite an adventure, too! Any Jamaican can give a NYer a run for their money behind the wheel! I’m going to have to work on getting over there. So far we’ve only gone to places around TB, like Little Ochi, Southfield, YS Falls and out to Negril. Wallet permitting we will roam a little further afield! I love your descriptions – you’re such a good writer – do you ever do any professional writing?
Is that Jack Sprat you’re thinking of? We walked around in it when I was trying to sneak some peeks at Jake’s! You’ve hit on a remarkable and wonderful aspect of TB – the lack of the wall between locals and guests. I don’t think I’ll ever be an A/I person. Not that I wouldn’t like the luxury, but I did it once in St. Lucia, and it was sort of like living in a bubble. We’ve met quite a few people over the years – doctors, store owners, caretakers, fisherman, and a few american transplants. I can’t say enough about it, I love it.
I’d love to hear more of your Jamaica stories sometime.
BRG, MM – grab your stuff and meet me at the airport! Let’s go now! ; )
Yes it is, cobblehiller. It takes about an hour to drive up from Kingston proper, on a very windy, narrow road with switchbacks, edge of cliff turns, and no shoulders. It’s an adventure, and I always expect to see rusting tourist’s cars in a valley, but there are remarkably few accidents. The resort is a popular restaurant location for Kingston’s hoi polloi, and they have conferences and weddings there all the time. The restaurant is open to the public, so even if you don’t stay there, it’s worth the trip. The food was fantastic. The view is amazing, and sunset was a daily show for me, I never got tired of it. As the sun went down, the lights in Kingston start to twinkle on, and it was just beautiful. We were amongst the clouds, as rain showers came down from the mountains daily, and you could stand on the veranda and watch it rain miles away, as far as Port Antonio.
I also love Jake’s. I love the cottages, the wildness of the beach, and the people there are just great, too. One of the best pizzas I’ve ever had was there, at the pizza place on the beach. I also love that the local people feel at home there, and there is not that “bwana” feel to the relationship between the guests and the local people, and they don’t feel they have to keep the Jamaicans away from the tourists.
Yep, Jakes – in Treasure Beach, yes, those are very cool/hip looking. Very groovy! I haven’t been inside. I’ve only walked the grounds a little. I hear Jakes is the ‘hip’ place for the ‘Hollywood types’ to stay there!
That’s what I hear – a childhood friend’s father grew up there, and still has family there. I’ll get there yet. I’ve also seen so many photos and paintings over the years that tell me I will love it! Maybe we can get over here for a few days on the next trip if I can find someone to drive us up there.
I was doing work with Island Outpost, which owns high end boutique hotels in Jamaica, and the Bahamas. I’ve been to their hotels near Ochi, Negril, Treasure Beach, and the Blue Mountains. They just got a new one in Port Antonio that I haven’t been to. If I was rich, I’d have a home in the Blue Mountains. It’s incredibly beautiful.
Last time I was there, I bought about $100US worth of Blue Mountain coffee, and gave it as Christmas gifts. Everyone swore it was the best coffee they had ever had. I don’t drink coffee, but it certainly does smell good.
MM – Nice! You got to go there on business! I’m clearly not living right – I clearly need a career change! I get sent to the crappy/boring parts of DC, Boston, NJ or PA.
I really want to go up to the Blue Mountains. I’ve been reading about the area for awhile. I’d also really like to go up around Ocho Rios just to see some of it – I don’t know if I could afford to stay there!
I’ve only ever been on the south coast in St. Elizabeth/Black River/Treasure Beach/Southfield and once, for a day, to Negril.
“Where do you go down there?”
Mostly Ocho Rios. There and Negril (both 2 hour drive from Mo’ Bay though. Rough scary ride) are the places you want to go. Mo’ Bay is limited. Haven’t been elsewhere yet.
***Bid half off peak comps***
MM, man oh man those roads! The drive from MoBay to Whitehouse is quite an adventure, too! Any Jamaican can give a NYer a run for their money behind the wheel! I’m going to have to work on getting over there. So far we’ve only gone to places around TB, like Little Ochi, Southfield, YS Falls and out to Negril. Wallet permitting we will roam a little further afield! I love your descriptions – you’re such a good writer – do you ever do any professional writing?
Is that Jack Sprat you’re thinking of? We walked around in it when I was trying to sneak some peeks at Jake’s! You’ve hit on a remarkable and wonderful aspect of TB – the lack of the wall between locals and guests. I don’t think I’ll ever be an A/I person. Not that I wouldn’t like the luxury, but I did it once in St. Lucia, and it was sort of like living in a bubble. We’ve met quite a few people over the years – doctors, store owners, caretakers, fisherman, and a few american transplants. I can’t say enough about it, I love it.
I’d love to hear more of your Jamaica stories sometime.
BRG, MM – grab your stuff and meet me at the airport! Let’s go now! ; )
Why am I not in Jamaica right now?
Yes it is, cobblehiller. It takes about an hour to drive up from Kingston proper, on a very windy, narrow road with switchbacks, edge of cliff turns, and no shoulders. It’s an adventure, and I always expect to see rusting tourist’s cars in a valley, but there are remarkably few accidents. The resort is a popular restaurant location for Kingston’s hoi polloi, and they have conferences and weddings there all the time. The restaurant is open to the public, so even if you don’t stay there, it’s worth the trip. The food was fantastic. The view is amazing, and sunset was a daily show for me, I never got tired of it. As the sun went down, the lights in Kingston start to twinkle on, and it was just beautiful. We were amongst the clouds, as rain showers came down from the mountains daily, and you could stand on the veranda and watch it rain miles away, as far as Port Antonio.
I also love Jake’s. I love the cottages, the wildness of the beach, and the people there are just great, too. One of the best pizzas I’ve ever had was there, at the pizza place on the beach. I also love that the local people feel at home there, and there is not that “bwana” feel to the relationship between the guests and the local people, and they don’t feel they have to keep the Jamaicans away from the tourists.
MM, when I look at the photos of Strawberry Hill, is that Kingston all lit up below?
Yep, Jakes – in Treasure Beach, yes, those are very cool/hip looking. Very groovy! I haven’t been inside. I’ve only walked the grounds a little. I hear Jakes is the ‘hip’ place for the ‘Hollywood types’ to stay there!
That’s what I hear – a childhood friend’s father grew up there, and still has family there. I’ll get there yet. I’ve also seen so many photos and paintings over the years that tell me I will love it! Maybe we can get over here for a few days on the next trip if I can find someone to drive us up there.
I was doing work with Island Outpost, which owns high end boutique hotels in Jamaica, and the Bahamas. I’ve been to their hotels near Ochi, Negril, Treasure Beach, and the Blue Mountains. They just got a new one in Port Antonio that I haven’t been to. If I was rich, I’d have a home in the Blue Mountains. It’s incredibly beautiful.
Last time I was there, I bought about $100US worth of Blue Mountain coffee, and gave it as Christmas gifts. Everyone swore it was the best coffee they had ever had. I don’t drink coffee, but it certainly does smell good.
MM – Nice! You got to go there on business! I’m clearly not living right – I clearly need a career change! I get sent to the crappy/boring parts of DC, Boston, NJ or PA.
I really want to go up to the Blue Mountains. I’ve been reading about the area for awhile. I’d also really like to go up around Ocho Rios just to see some of it – I don’t know if I could afford to stay there!
I’ve only ever been on the south coast in St. Elizabeth/Black River/Treasure Beach/Southfield and once, for a day, to Negril.